----- Original Message -----
From: "Ann Sanfedele" <ann...@nyc.rr.com>
To: "Pentax-Discuss Mail List" <pdml@pdml.net>
Sent: Wednesday, July 20, 2011 3:24 PM
Subject: Re: Distance [was Re: V. Maier exhibition in London]
On 7/20/2011 11:57, Christine Aguila wrote:
Writers establish what's called psychological distance between the work
and the reader primarily through point of view (language itself can
contribute to this)--1st, 2nd, 3rd person pov, and all the shades
thereof. Through what photographic technique does a photographer
minimize or maximize intellectual distance? Cheers, Christine
Will that be on the next exam? :-) How many words do we have to submit?
But seriously, I don't think anything is served by photographers, or any
artists , for that matter, over intellectualzing their approach..
I agree one shouldn't *over intellectualize*, but some thought mightn't be
bad for the exercise--writers, photographers, whatever should know what
artistic techniques are at their disposal to create their work. Technique,
seems to me, is the primary realm of the artist; understanding how technique
is used to achieve some end and how that end is understood can--and often
is--of concern to the artist, but it seems most certainly to be the primary
realm of the critic.
I got hammered by Gene Frankel for doing that in the acting days -
getting involved in what the playright's intent was instead of
using my humanity and instincts to identify with the character to
bring her to life.
"write what you know" was the mantra I grew up with... so it was
the opposite of intellectual distance.
I also considered /thought that "street photography" was basically
photo-journalism but you do it for yourself, rather than on an
assignment... where the distance fades away... you wouldn't be
photographing something with which you had absolutely no gut
connection, would you?
Well, you can use your creative skills (whatever they are) to do a study on
something you have great affinity for, but you can also use them to discover
something you don't know anything about. The *write what you know* mantra
is often early advice young fiction writers and poets get--a familiar
starting point where *what they know* is allowed to mingle greatly with
their imaginations to achieve and inform some creative end. But I wouldn't
agree that the artist is forever stuck in that place--though it is true
many, many artists never leave that place; it becomes their creative
obsession.
Cheers, Christine
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